An Update on UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review of Canada

On April 30, the Rideau Institute hosted a gathering of social justice and human rights organizations for an update on the UN Human Rights Council’s (HRC) Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Canada. Bruce Porter of the Social Rights Advocacy Centre (Toronto) and Leilani Farha of the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (Ottawa) provided some reflections based on their engagement with the UPR process in Geneva and subsequent discussions of Canadian government officials.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a new peer review process through which States review the human rights records of other States. Canada has the opportunity to engage meaningfully in the process by responding constructively to the important concerns and recommendations that were expressed.

Two central concerns have come to dominate reviews of Canada’s human rights record before international bodies. First, Canada has no effective mechanism or procedure in place for responding constructively to concerns and recommendations from UN human rights bodies and procedures. Second, in light of Canada’s affluence, the persistence of extensive poverty, homelessness and hunger constitute human rights violations that are in need of human rights responses.

Many states have recommended that Canada implement a national poverty eradication strategy that incorporates a human rights framework. Similar recommendations were also made recently by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing, in the Report he recently submitted to the UN Human Rights Council of his Visit to Canada. The Special Rapporteur recommended a national housing strategy and improved legislative protections of the right to adequate housing at all levels of government.

At the next session of the HRC in Geneva, in June, Canada will inform the HRC which recommendations it accepts and which it rejects. Parliamentarians and civil society now have a unique opportunity for to re-engage with Canada’s international human rights commitments and to insist on effective implementation at the domestic level.

Bruce and Leilani’s full report, “Reaffirming Canada’s Commitments to International Human Rights,” including recommendations for action by parliamentarians, can be found at www.cwp-csp.ca (click on Poverty and Parliament).